Paul Sakai

Peter Gannushkin / downtownmusic.net

Paul Sakai, born in Berkeley, California, is a cultural nomad currently based in Brooklyn, New York. Paul is a yonsei Japanese American raised as a Third Culture Kid amongst an international community in Southeast Asia. His work is an act of grounding — a practice of connecting one’s present body to place, people, and cultural histories.Paul is an experimental artist, drummer, and friction-based percussionist. He works with acoustic drum set, prepared floor tom, cymbals, and a mix of found objects and traditional percussion implements. His work is highly textural and is centered in the body. His practice is both ritualistic and improvisatory — continually seeking oneself and others through an open, exploratory and experimental process.

Selected Collaborations

Roy Kiyo - solo projectMark ChinenBear Bear - with Lulu WestSunjay Jayaram, Stan Zenkov, and
Caroline MortonJeff Pearring, Shu Odamura, and Adam LaneGonzalez/Sakai - with Lenny GonzalezGem Alchemy - with Nathan Chamberlain
and Leni KreienbergMilk & Cookies with Nathan Chamberlain - series at the Brothers Wash & Dry, Queens, NYSakai/Schlomann - with Brandon SchlomannIsabelle Waldner KalbNathan ChamberlainBen Davis and Kanoko NishiJosh Allen and Tim DuffMajid AraimNathan Nakadegawa-Lee, Vivek Menon, and Caroline MortonJulie KimSelendis Sebastian Alexander JohnsonNeel Ghosh and Nathan ChamberlainDanny Lulu

Forthcoming Releases

Bear Bear
Lulu West and Billy Martin
Gem Alchemy
Lulu West and Conner Simmons
Sakai/Schlomann
Mark Chinen
Roy Kiyo

Recordings

Contact